Improvement in wood pavements



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.

LAMBERT T. FOLLANSBEE, OF VASHINGTON, D. C., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND GEORGE W. LINVILLE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WOOD PAVEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 108,697, dated October 25, 1870.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAMBERT T. FoLLANs- BEE, of Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Wood Pavements, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompany in g drawin My invention relates to wood pavements and consists in the construction and arrangement transversely, in a street, roadway, or other similar place, of a series ofoblong rectangular blocks, with their upper side edges beveled, so that when two rows of blocks come together a groove will be formed between them for the insertion of tar, concrete, or other material, in connection or combination with wedge-shaped blocks, so made that two of them will, when in position, be of the same size, or nearly so, with one ot' the other blocks, the said wedge-shaped blocks being for the purpose of binding the whole mass compactly together, as well as for convenience in loosenig and releasing any portion of the blocks when desired. I

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of the pavement, showing one of the wedge-shaped blocks a little elevated, and Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of a portion of the pavement.

This pavement is constructed of oblong rectangular blocks A, having their upper side edges beveled, so that when two rows, B C, ot blocks come together a groove, a, will be formed between them, as shown in both tigures. These blocks A are so cut that when laid the grain of the wood will be either vertical or form an angle with the end surfaces of the blocks. They may be cut from white or yellow pine, or from any other kind of wood suitable for the purpose.

In constructing the pavement the road-bed is prepared in the usual way. A board or plank foundation may be laid on theearth bed it desired, but this is not deemed essential. On this bed the blocks A are laid in rows, so that their beveled edges will make parallel grooves, as shown in Fig. 2. At suitable intervals. between the rows ot' the blocks A a row of wedge-blocks, b c, is introduced. These wedge-blocks b c are so made that any two of them when united will form a block of the same size as the blocks A, and they may be made by simply cutting one of the blocks A through diagonally.

The blocks A are tirst arranged loosely, then the wedge-blocks b are put in place with their butt-ends down, and then the wedge-blocks c are inserted with their small ends down, and

.as clearly shown in Fig. l.

Before the wedge-blocks c are driven down, tar is poured in the grooves a, and after it has had time to enter the spaces intervening between the blocks, then the wedge-blocks c are driven home. In this way it will be seen a thoroughly tight and waterproof pavement will be made. The grooves a may now be filled with any kind ot' cement desired, and the whole be then left to harden.

This pavement will be found to be cheap, simple, durable, and, at the same time, easily taken up when desired. It is simple and cheap in its construction, for the reason that it is made entirely ot' blocks of a form that may be easily and rapidly cut, and conveniently and readily laid. It is durable, for the reason that it consists of a compact mass of solid blocks firmly wedged together, with a tarry cement filling up all spaces between the blocks, and rendering the whole impervious to water. It can be easily taken up when desired, to allow the layn g or repairing of gas or water pipes, or for other purposes, as the wedge-shaped blocks can be readily removed, and then the whole loosened, Ste.

While it is preferred to use these wedgeshaped blocks in connection with rect-angular blocks, as described, it is obvious that they may be used in connection with blocks of a different shape, and in pavements ot' dierent kinds ot' construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- A pavement consisting ot parallel rows of oblong rectangular blocks A, with their upper side corners beveled, having interposed at suitable intervals parallel wedgng rows of diagonally-biseeted blocks b c, with their upper outer side corners beveled, saidblocks having their sides coated with tar, and the whole arranged as herein described.

LAMBERT T. FOLLANSBEE.

Witnesses:

H. B. MUNN, PHIL. T. DODGE. 

